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Gov’t of Ghana, UNDP Hold Investment Forum at Africa Climate Week

March 17, 2019

By: Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Government of Ghana and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will host an Investment Forum on Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from 18^thto 19^th March 2019 during the Africa Climate Week, which is slated from the 18^th to 22^ndMarch 2019 at the Accra international Conference Centre.

The two-day forum will discuss ways to crowd-in private sector investment for projects in Ghana that are financially viable, and that also deliver the climate solutions Ghana pledged in its Nationally Determined Contribution.

According to Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), “Ghana needs about USD 22.6 billion investments from domestic and international public and private sources to finance its climate actions, starting from 2020. About USD 6.3 billion is expected to be mobilised from domestic sources and USD 16.3 billion will come from international support and this is the best time for us to discuss how to mobilise more investment.”

The forum will be a platform to discuss and showcase proven climate solutions and investment-ready climate action projects to attract support from all relevant stakeholders and mobilise investments for climate action in Ghana.

Gita Welch, Resident Representative of UNDP Ghana said, “huge investment is required to tackle climate change globally, and this calls for innovative financing especially from the private sector to accelerate climate change adaptation and mitigation actions.”

Discussion at the forum will focus on: Scaling the Need and Investment Opportunity for Low-Carbon Transition, Increasing Climate Project Flow with Innovative Finance, Accelerating Private Sector Investment (in press conference format), Adapting to Climate Change: Resilience, Security and Finance and Climate Action and SDGs: Engaging Enterprises to Advance Nationally Determined Contributions.

Stakeholders from international/development organisations, government agencies, civil societies and academia are expected to participate in the forum.

Key speakers will include: Prof. George Gyan Baffour, Minister of Planning, Government of Ghana, Patricia Appiagye, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and John Pwamang, Acting Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The others are Alhassan Andani, Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana and President of the Ghana Association of Bankers, Dr. Arona Soumare, Principal Climate Change and Green Growth Officer, African Development Bank, Paul Stevers, CEO Think Renewables Group and Daniel Rossetto, Founder, Paris Climate Bond.

The rest are Albert Touna Mama, Resident Representative, International Monetary Fund, Ibrahim Peghouma, Senior Regional Energy/Environment Officer for West Africa, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Ghana and Gita Honwana Welch, Resident Representative, UNDP Ghana.

The Paris Agreement requests each country to outline and communicate their post-2020 climate actions, known as their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The Investment Forum during the Africa Climate Week will officially launch and present “Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation and Investment Plan”, which outlines the key actions that Ghana will undertake in the next 10 years to meet its commitment to the global fight against climate change, in line with the Paris Agreement.

The Africa Climate Week will lay the groundwork for the upcoming UN Secretary-General’s Climate Summit scheduled to take place during the 73^rd General Assembly in September 2019.

Source: www.gh.undp.org

The Time to Invest in Africa is now – VP Bawumia

Volta Online

March 17, 2019

By: Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has challenged investors to constructively engage their African counterparts as the governments and peoples of the continent gear up to take their destinies in their own hands and assume their rightful places in the comity of nations.

According to Dr Bawumia, “Africa is on the move; a continent eager to shake off past failures due to blind colonial and cold-war alignments and sheer bad governance. The new scramble for Africa, according to the Economist Magazine, is now being led by a new generation of Africans determined to make a difference through technological innovations and the development of enterprise and markets.”

He added, “the Africa we want can only be built by Africans in partnerships with countries and investors who also believe in this paradigm for change.”

Vice President Bawumia issued the challenge when he addressed delegates at the ongoing 14th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership in New Delhi, India on Sunday 17th March, 2019.

The 3-day Conclave, under the theme “Partners in Development, Building New Synergies,” and organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India, is bringing together over 500 delegates including 33 Ministers and Heads of Government from 41 African countries.

Vice President in a photo with other delegates at the 3-day conclave

Over the past 13 editions, the CII- EXIM Bank Conclave on India Africa Project Partnership has emerged as the pioneer event for Indian and African governments and industry to meet and explore new avenues of partnerships, and enables the Indian and African leadership to take stock of the progress of the partnership and address future needs.

Outlining a number of areas which would make an investment in Africa an attractive proposition, Vice President Bawumia urged participants to “let our conversation about the future move outside old boxes of doing business, and old government-business engagements”.

“Africa’s emerging markets offer great opportunities for economic growth and prosperity with over 1.2 billion people and a combined GDP of US$2.24 trillion. It is the world’s second largest and second most populous continent, and by 2050 will be the most populous continent in the world with an estimated GDP of $29 trillion. The continent is endowed with natural resources which, with the right complementary factors, can be leveraged for accelerated and inclusive economic growth.

“Africa is home to ten of the world’s fifteen fastest-growing economies and this growth rate is expected to boost consumer spending from USD 860 billion in 2008 to more than USD 1.3 trillion by 2020,” the Vice President stated.

The leaders of the continent, Vice President Bawumia indicated, had already initiated moves designed to make trading on the continent less cumbersome with the declaration of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the continental body’s long-term vision for an integrated and prosperous continent

“Considering the significance of free movement of goods, services and persons across borders to socio economic development, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), a Flagship project of the African Union Agenda 2063 was launched to create a single market for Air transport in Africa. This is to allow significant freedom of air transport in Africa.”

“On 21st March 2018, in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and other African leaders had the pleasure of signing the Agreement establishing the African continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA).”

“Enhanced air connectivity, improved intra-African trade, expanded markets through continental economic integration and free movement of people, provide greater business opportunities,” he continued.

Dr. Bawumia added, “it is in this context that I encourage the relevant public officials from Ghana and India to engage in discussions that can open doors for business to business cooperation and mutually beneficial partnership engagements. This is a sure way for our two sides to explore the economic opportunities that abound in Africa and India.”

Issuing a rallying cry for constructive, productive dialogue at the 14th CII-Exim Bank Conclave, Vice President Bawumia asserted “let us leave here with concrete engagements in business partnerships in key strategic areas. Let us know what we are not doing well as governments and what can be done to strengthen business partnerships.”

To him, “together, let us push hard so we can improve the lives of ordinary citizens in India and Africa so that they too will realize that these industry conversations are also beneficial to them in the long run.”

Source: www.presidency.gov.gh

Methodist, Anglican to Battle for Final Slot in Volta Cricket League

Volta Online

March 15, 2019

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Methodist Basic School and Anglican Basic School Cricket teams are set to battle for a final berth in the ongoing Volta U-12 Schools’ Cricket League on Saturday, March 16, 2019.

The encounter which is Anglican’s last match in Group A and expected to be played at the Ho Sports Stadium will see them put in much effort to grab victory in the boys category as they currently lie summit of the table with 4 points while Methodist, 3rd also with 4 points, have 2 matches left.

A win for either side will definitely be a guarantee to securing a final place, as the girls category has already been won by Ho Kpodzi Basic who recorded a 100% winning feat.

Meanwhile, in Group B, Bankoe RC, who have been inconsistent in the league will test the speed and accuracy of Mawuli in the boys’ division.

Mawuli boys team, with 6 points and a match to play, were leapfrogged by United MA with a net run rate difference, after the latter beat Dome RC on Saturday, March 9.

The only boys match on the week 8, match 4 day, saw Dome RC score 27 runs, all out, in 13.2 overs after winning toss and electing to bat first. United Ma won the match by 7 wickets with a score of 31 runs in just 5.5 overs.

In the other group B match played last weekend, Bankoe RC dashed 2 points to Heve Basic boys which became Heve’s first win in their supposed last encounter as they lost to Dome RC, United and Mawuli in succession.

The girls’ matches saw United booking a final after completing their 4 out of 4 victories and will be facing another consistent side, Ho Kpodzi from group A.

United MA won the girls game by 10 runs as Dome RC, who won toss and elected to field first scored 73 runs for 2 wickets after the former had scored 83 runs for 4 wickets.

Heve girls had a smooth game, beating Bankoe RC as the latter decided to field first after winning toss. Heve in the first innings scored 90 runs, for 3 wickets and limited Bankoe RC to a score of 45 runs, for 6 wickets, allowing Heve to win by 45 runs. Heve with the win found themselves 2nd on the Group B log with 6 points.

The 15 over single round robin league will have one more week after the penultimate matches this weekend before the finals which will have winners in both categories lift trophies.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

For once, Punish the Perpetrators-GJA to Police Administration

Volta Online

March 15, 2019

By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called on the Police Administration to for once, punish police officers involved in an alleged attack on journalists to “serve as deterrent to others and redeem the image of the Ghana Police Service from the shameful tag of a brutish institution.”

The call followed an alleged attack on three Ghanaian Times reporters namely: Malik Sulemana, Salifu Abdul Rahman and Raissa Sambou Ebu who were on their way for an official assignment on Thursday morning.

In a statement signed by the President of GJA, Affail Monney, the police must carry out investigations into Thursday’s incident which he described as barbaric and punish the culprits.

“We call on the Police Administration to undertake swift investigations into the incident and, for once, punish the perpetrators of such heinous crime.

“This incident must not be added to the list of unresolved cases of assault against journalists by police officers. This culture of impunity must end now,” he added.

Narrating the incident, the statement said a police officer on an unregistered motorbike, jumped trafficked and hit a Nissan saloon car belonging to the Ghanaian Times near the Kinbu Traffic, breaking the mirror and windscreen, then sped off.

The statement continued that driver of the vehicle chased and caught up with the police officer and Malik started video-recording the incident with his mobile phone which attracted the fury of the officer who punched his face causing blood to gush out from his nostril.

It further indicated that “other police officers and a soldier in uniform allegedly joined in the beating of the reporter, pushing, kicking, slapping and punching him” while “the other reporters in the vehicle – Salifu Abdul Rahaman and Raissa Sambou Ebu – were also heckled, and in the process, Raissa, a nursing mother, collapsed and was rushed to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital for treatment.”

Subsequently, Malik was handcuffed and sent to the Ministries Police Station where he was detained for hours and subjected to further assault.

The statement added that it took the intervention of ACP David Eklu, the Director-General of Public Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Police Service, and ASP Efia Tenge, the Accra Region Police Public Relations Officer to save the reporter from more torture.”

The Association said such assaults by the police who are supposed to be law enforcers must not be condoned saying, “twenty-seven years into our democratic dispensation, it is important for the police to appreciate that we live under the rule of law and not the rule of the jungle.”

The GJA reiterated its resolve to “seek justice for all journalists who have been assaulted by police officers in the past” and called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to join in condemning police brutality.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Prez Akufo-Addo Receives Emile Short Commission Report on AWW Violence

Volta Online

March 15, 2019

Short Commission presents report — President Akufo-Addo receiving the report from Chairman of the Commission

By: Voltaonlinegh.com |

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has received the report of the Emile Short Commission of Inquiry established to inquire into the incidents of violence that occurred during the January 31, 2019, by-election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

Presenting the report to President Akufo-Addo on Thursday, March 14, 2019, the Chairperson of the Commission, Justice Emile Short, was confident that “you (President Akufo-Addo) will find these findings and recommendations useful in shaping reforms for the future”.

He thanked the President “for this initiative, and commend your resolve to stamp out the evil of electoral violence from our politics.”

On his part, President Akufo-Addo thanked the members of the Commission, and all others associated with its work, for agreeing to provide this service to the Ghanaian people.

“The circumstances under which the unfortunate incident occurred might have proved somewhat difficult for others, but you did not hesitate to accept the assignment and the work that you have done has been in the public domain. The whole country has seen the transparent nature of the proceedings and we have all followed it, obviously with great care and attention. I am happy that at long last it has come to an end,” he said.

The President assured that “the findings and the recommendations that have been made will, of course, be given the greatest attention by me and the members of my government.”

He continued, “we have a responsibility of ensuring the maintenance of law and order in our country and that responsibility is not one that can be abdicated on any occasion, so to the extent that this Commission can help us, its findings and recommendations can help us advance the course of law and order in our country, I welcome it. It will be the subject of close study.”

The President was hopeful that “the recommendations and findings will help us on the road to ridding our nation of this canker of electoral and politically related violence, as has, unfortunately, become part of the culture of our politics. It is regrettable that that should be the case, but there it is.”

He reassured the people of Ghana Government’s continued determination to ensuring that they “can go about their normal duties, including exercising their constitutional and political rights in an atmosphere of peace and freedom.”

Source: www.presidency.gov.gh

VR NPP SEC. Backs Calls for State Burial for fmr. National NDC Chairman

Volta Online

March 14, 2019

By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Volta Regional Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Joseph Homenya has backed calls for a state burial for former Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Kwabena Adjei.

There had been suggestions from people including the Volta Regional Secretary of the NDC, James Gunu for a state burial in honour of the former Chairman who died on Tuesday morning at the Ridge Hospital in Accra.

The argument for this call was that Dr. Adjei had contributed a lot to the country’s democracy and development.

Dr. Adjei before his death served as Minister of Lands and Forestry, Minister of Food and Agriculture and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.

He was also a member of the Council of Elders of the NDC, a former Member of Parliament for Biakoye Constituency, a former PNDC Deputy Secretary for Volta Region and Former PNDC Deputy Secretary for Industries, Science and Technology.

Speaking on West FM’s morning show, West Breakfast Drive on Thursday, Mr. Homenya agreed that a state burial for the late Dr. Adjei would be in place as he served the nation in his lifetime.

According to him, he believed that should the call become louder and persistent and get to the listening President Nana Akufo-Addo, he would take appropriate actions to give Dr. Adjei, a befitting burial.

The NPP Regional Secretary said this while reacting to a press release from the National announcing the upcoming Extraordinary Regional Annual Delegates Conference of the party occasioned by the recently created six new regions across the country including Oti out of the Volta Region.

The Conference slated for May 4 will have officers elected to fill vacant regional executive positions in Volta as well as Oti as according to Mr. Homenya, the current leadership has officers from both divides.

For the directives, he said that the current executives could choose to be in either Volta or Oti where they would maintain their current positions.

He continued that should any officer be desirous of contesting for a different position, s/he would have to vacate his/her current position to be eligible to contest for the new position thereby rendering the position s/he was occupying, vacant for fresh nominations to be filed.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Prez Nominates New MCE for Keta; As Yormewu Moves To Anloga District

Volta Online

March 14, 2019

Godwin Edudzi Effah, New MCE for Keta. [(C)Photo Facebook]

By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com|

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has nominated Mr. Godwin Edudzi Effah as the new Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Keta Municipal Assembly.

Mr. Effah, an accountant with the Ghana Education Service (GES) was nominated alongside five others to head the six newly created municipal and district assemblies in the country, which include the Anloga District Assembly.

The nomination, which was in accordance with Article 243(1) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 20(1) of the Local Government Act, Act 936, was contained in a statement issued by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, on Wednesday, March 13.

When confirmed, Mr. Effah will replace the current MCE, Mr. Seth Yormewu, who has been moved to the newly inaugurated Anloga District Assembly as its first District Chief Executive.

The Anloga assembly was carved out of the Keta municipality after several requests from stakeholders including the Awoamefia of Anlo, Torgbui Sri III who argued that, the municipality has become too large for effective administration, as it was the only assembly with two large constituencies; (i.e. Keta and Anlo) in the region.

On Tuesday, February 19, 2019, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa inaugurated the Anloga District Assembly on behalf of the president under Legislative Instrument (LI) 2372 of 2018.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

GJA, Foreign Partners to Promote Media Freedom in Ghana

Volta Online

March 14, 2019

GJA and Partners — GJA Prez, Affail Monney, 4th from left

By: Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has held discussions with two foreign media partners on areas of collaboration to promote media freedom in Ghana.

The GJA and its partners – Open Society Foundations (OSF), based in London, and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) are also exploring opportunities for the capacity-building of Ghanaian journalists to enhance the effective discharge of their watchdog mandate.

These initiatives were the outcome of a meeting held between the National Executive of the GJA and officials of the two foreign partners at the Ghana International Press Centre (GIPC) in Accra Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

The foreign delegation were the Programme Officer (Independent Journalism) of OSF, Edward Pittman, and the Senegal Country Officer of OSIWA, Ms Hawa Ba.

The GJA National Executive members present at the meeting were the President, Affail Monney, Vice President, Mrs Linda Asante-Agyei; General Secretary, Kofi Yeboah, and National Organising Secretary, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour.

Also in attendance were the Tema Chapter Chairman of the GJA, Dominic Hlordzi and the GJA Project Consultant, Kojo Mpraim.

Mr Monney highlighted the critical role the media continue to play in the deepening of the country’s democracy and promoting national development.

He said over the years, particularly under the Fourth Republic, Ghana had enjoyed enormous media freedom, culminating in the country being ranked first in Africa in the 2018 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters without Borders.

He however, noted that some recent developments, especially attacks against journalists, threaten to undermine press freedom in the country.

Mr Monney therefore, welcomed the move by the GJA and its foreign partners to work towards promoting media freedom in the country.

He also appealed to the foreign partners to support the capacity-building of journalists in Ghana towards a successful coverage of the general elections in 2020.

Responding to questions by Mr Pittman and Ms Ba on investigations into the killing of Ahmed Husein-Suale, a member of the Tiger Eye PI team who was shot dead by unknown assailants, the GJA President said the police were still investigating the matter.

He said the GJA had undertaken a number of activities to mount pressure on the police to expedite the investigations, adding, “we are keeping a keen eye on the investigative ball.”

On his part, Mr. Pittman assured the GJA of the readiness of OSF to help promote media freedom in Ghana through capacity-building programmes.

Source: GJA

VR GWCL Cautions against Indiscriminate Felling of Trees along Water Bodies

Volta Online

March 14, 2019

By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Volta Regional Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has cautioned the citizenry against unlawful felling of trees along river banks and other water bodies saying, such activities destroy the water bodies.

The Regional Human Resource Manager, GWCL, Mrs. Juliana K. Amponsah-Asiamah in an interview with Voltaonlinegh.com said unlawful cutting of trees along water bodies could result in the drying up of those resources.

To Mrs. Amponsah-Asiamah, the trees provide shades that protect the water bodies from the sun to keep them ever fresh and from being dried up.

According to her, it was important for the citizenry to make conscious efforts to preserve freshwater resources wherever they are found because these waters are treated and distributed to homes and industries for use, without which life would be unbearable.

The National President of Ladies Association, GWCL was speaking ahead of the upcoming World Water Day to be held on March 22 on the theme, “Leaving no one behind”.

The Day is an annual UN observance day that highlights the importance of freshwater. The day is celebrated around the world and is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

Mrs. Amponsah-Asiamahdisclosed that the Day would take workers of the regional GWCL to the company’s headworks at Hohoe for a tree planting exercise as a means of sustaining the freshwater there.

Speaking on the theme for this year’s celebration, she admitted that although access to potable water is a human rights issue and every person in Ghana needs to have access to clean water, financial constraints among other things continued to hinder their operations and the realisation of their vision.

“We’re trying. For us, it’s our wish to get water to everyone but it is boils down to a lot of things that are hindering our core mandate of production and distribution of potable water to customers in urban areas of the country.”

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Volta Region NDC Hardest Hit by Dr. Kwabena Adjei’s Death–James Gunu

Volta Online

March 13, 2019

By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Volta Regional Secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), James Gunu has disclosed that the party in the region was the hardest hit by the news of the passing away of its former Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei.

Mr. Gunu said the region had lost some dedicated members from the land to death in a spate of few weeks with some yet to be buried and to add another (demise of Dr. Adjei) to the already unfortunate situation was just too much for the party.

The former District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akatsi North who was speaking to Kofi Gamor on West FM morning show, West Breakfast Drive on Wednesday following Dr. Adjei’s death on Tuesday morning at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, said the region was already grieving the departure of some compatriots.

“Recently, we lost Benjamin Dagadu, a former Deputy Minister of Energy who we’re yet to bury. Not long after that, a former Minister and Member for Parliament of Adaklu, Hon. Steve Akorlie passed on. We went to commiserate with the bereaved family who are yet to set a date for his burial service. Three days later, Maxwell Ajumako, former DCE for Krachi East also passed away and his one-week celebration will be held in Accra this Saturday.”

“Just as we’re settling in on all these, our former Chairman, Dr. Adjei also died. All this is difficult for us as a party and we don’t know how we’ll be handling the situation,” he lamented.

The Regional Secretary requested that the state honours Dr. Adjei with a state funeral for his immense contributions to the country’s democracy and development.

Mr. Gunu said the “great trees in the party that we look up to have fallen” and asked for prayers for the families of the deceased and the NDC for God’s protection.

He called on party members to remain strong in these trying times and forge ahead in unity for victory in 2020 because that was the only thing that would give solace to their departed comrades who had demonstrated their commitment to the party and would have loved to see it wrest power from the ruling party.

Meanwhile, the National Executives of the party have declared a 3-day mourning for the late Dr Adjei where all party flags would fly at half-mast and as well, all party activities suspended.

This affected the party’s planned activity to induct John Mahama as its flag bearer on Wednesday.

Before his death, Dr Kwabena Adjei was a member of the Council of Elders of the NDC, a former Member of Parliament for Biakoye Constituency, a former PNDC Deputy Secretary for Volta Region and Former PNDC Deputy Secretary for Industries, Science and Technology.

He also served as Minister of Lands and Forestry, Minister of Food and Agriculture and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

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